The flames also destroyed the $500,000 building that the birds were housed in.

Smoking rubble and melted, mangled metal is all that is left of the chicken barn on Royal Road in North Cornwall Township.

Fire crews from across Lebanon County were called out to the scene around noon on Wednesday.

When they arrived on scene, firefighters said most of the building was engulfed in flames.

The barn is a total loss.

Firefighters worked hard to make sure the flames did not spread to a neighboring barn. They hauled water to the scene from about a mile away, saving about 40,000 chickens in the neighboring barn.

Firefighters said several factors contributed to the fast-burning fire.

“Probably because of all the dust, the straw inside, it just takes off with the wind. It doesn't take much to get going,” said Chief Mike Nelson, chief of the Never Sink Fire Company. “It's one of those things we don't have control over. We just do the best we can.”